District of co



(No Model.) I

E. PIFFERLING.

CABINET SHOW GASE. l No. 408,517. Patented Aug; 6, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMANUEL PIFFERLING, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TOHENRY F. SAMSTAG AND FELIX L. ROSENTHAL, BOTH OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ANDEMANUEL PIFFERLING, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF CO- LUMBIA.

CABIN ET SH OW-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,517, dated August6, 1889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EMANUEL PIFFERLING,

a citizen of the United States, residing at v Washington, in theDistrict of Columbia,

- have invented new and useful Improvements in Cabinet Show-Cases, ofwhich the following is a specification. l

My invention relates to cabinets employed for exhibiting merchandise;and it consists 1o in a device whereby a large variety of goods can bedisplayed within a show-case and be held therein in separation inmovable compartments, all as hereinafter fully described,

illustrated in the drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals ofreference point ou't similar parts on each figure, Figure 1 is avertical transverse section taken between two of zo the interiorpartitions of the show-case. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a detail perspective `of one of the compartments or drawersremoved. Fig. 4 is a partial section of the forward end of Fig.'3. Fig:5 is a par- 2 5 tial rear elevation of the show-case, showingaslightly-modiied construction. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing aVfurther modification.

In the drawings, the reference-numeral 1 denotes a case having a frame 2and glass pan- 3o els 3, common in such devices. Said case haspreferably an obliquely inclined front, as shown in Fig. 1, though I mayuse a convex front or any other suitable form. It is supplied withinwith a series of transverse par- 3 5 titions 4, rigidly connected to thebottom and rear frame of the case. Said partitions have their lower andback edges in straight lines conforming to the configuration of the caseto which they are attached. Forwardly said 4o partitions are preferablyout away in a series of steps in successive progression from the bottomto the upper part, the risers 5 between the steps being sloped towardthe rear. Each partition may be provided with a series of horizontalcleats 6, forming tracks or ways upon which the sliding compartments maymove. I may, however, substitute for these cleats a series of horizontalslots 7, formed in the partitions 4 and adapted to receive cleats 8,formed on the compartments, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

The numeral 9 represents the drawers or compartments, each adapted to beslid forward and backward between the several partitions. My inventioncontemplates the provision of several tiers of these compartment-s, eachtier of different length, the longer ones being below and the upper onesof successively decreased length to conform to the length of the severalsteps of the partitions. The 'front panels 9 of these compartments aresloped, so that when closed in place between the partitions said frontpanels will all be in alignment with the planes of the successive risers5 of the partitions 4, and thus comprise tiers of sliding drawers, theupper portions and forward panels of each compartment in all of thetiersforming a series of steps, whereby the contents of each compartment arevisible through the transparent panels of the casing. Each compartmenthas its front sloping end provided with clips 10, composed of thinstrips of metal having their ends bent under the bottom of thecompartment and fastened by screws or nails 12, Fig. 4. These clips areso formed that their free ends lie upon the inclined end panel of eachcompartment, at or near the sides thereof, thereby providing convenientmeans for attaching a price-card or other advertising ticket 13. I maysubstitute any convenient device capable of accomplishing the resultsought in place of these strips.

In place of the 'cleats 8, formed or mounted on the drawers 9, I maymount cleats G on the partitions, as already set forth, said cleatssupporting the drawers in the manner shown in Fig. 6, or I may channelvthe lower angles of said compartments in such manner as to permit thecleats to lie within said channels and the drawers to lie closely uponone another, as seen in Fig. 5. The construction last described ispreferable as being an economy of space.

It will be seen from the drawings that each compartment 9 is practicallyan open-top box, within which can be placed suitable merchandise, andthat when said compartments are entirely within the case-as, forinstance, the three lower ones in Fig. l-part of the contents of eachwill be in view. Thus by employment of my invention a large variety ofgoods can be displayed in a convenient manner in a comparatively smallspace, entirely protected from dust, and exposed to inspection ofcustomers Without being unnecessarily handled or any risk of abstractionby dishonest persons, which is often the case in crowded stores whensmall wares are displayed on counters or in open cartons.

' By my invention any one of the series of either of the tiers canbeindependently withdrawn from the case, as required by a customer, thenecessary quantity of goods taken out rearward of the case, and thespecial compartment readily replaced in its proper division.

In many lines of trade it is only practicable to display'goods tocustomers by opening closed bundles, boxes, and packages, thus involvinggreat labor on sales-clerks, often seriously deteriorating articles byfrequent unpacking and repacking, and such goods thus become shop-wornand depreciate in value. These dificulties will largely disappear by theemployment of my invention, which is specially adapted for display ofribbons, hosiery, perfumery, gloves, drugs, jewelry, notions, and smallwares, which can lie loosely within the several compartlnentsuncompressed and untied, thus presenting their natural appearance.

INhat I claim is- Y 1. A cabinet for displaying merchandise, consistingof a series of horizontally-sliding open-top compartments arranged intiers, the

compartments of each upper tier being successively shorter in lengththan the next underlying one, in combination with upright partitionsdividing the compartments of each tier, said partitions being cut awayat their front edges in successive steps equal, or substantially so, tothe length of the respective compartments when extended upon cleatsattached to the side surfaces of the partitions, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a cabinet for displaying merchandise, the combination of thefollowing elelnents: a show-case having transparent top,

sides, and front, and rigid bottom and back frame, a-series oftransverse parallel partitions 4, irmly adjusted to the back and fioorof the case, each-of said partitions being cut away forwardly into aseries of steps, cleats 6, extending horizontally along the vsides ofthe partitions, and tiers of sliding open-top compartments 9, arrangedto be moved forward and backward upon t-he cleats, each tier of saidcompartments being successively shorter in length than the nextunderlying tier of compartments and arranged as described, whereby whensaid compartments are introduced their full length forwardlybetween thepartitions 4 their front panels 9a will be in line with the respectiverisers 5 of said partitions, substantially as described.

3. In a cabinet for exhibiting goods, the combination, with a casinghaving transparent panels and provided with a series of partitionshaving their forward edges cut away to form steps separated by inclinedor sloping risers, of a series of compartments arranged in tiers, eachunderlying tier being of greater length than the one above it, the frontends of said compartments being in line with the risers of thepartitions and provided with suitable clips for detachably atxingadvertising or other cards, substantially as described.

4. In a cabinet for exhibiting goods, the combination, with a casehaving transparent panels and provided with partitions cut away at theirforward edges to form a series of steps separated by sloping risers, ofa series ot compartments sliding between said partitions and arranged intiers, each underlying tier being of greater length than the one nextabove it, the forward end panels of said compartment being sloped tocorrespond with the incline of the risers and provided with elasticstrips fastened at one end be.- neath the end of the compartment andhaving their other ends lying upon the sloping.

front panel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ai'iix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMANUEL PIFFERLING. Witnesses:

J. A. RUTHERFORD, PERCY B. HILLS.

